New Motion Not Sideways Move for Livingston
Bobby Livingston was a bullpen catcher for Chaminade High last season, appearing in only one game.
In December, he sensed his days as a baseball player were coming to an end.
“I didn’t have anything that impressive to offer the team,” he said. “There’s no doubt I would have been cut. I was hoping for a miracle.”
Sid Lopez became Livingston’s “miracle.” The Chaminade assistant coach taught Livingston how to pitch with a sidearm delivery.
“It was a lot of work,” Livingston said. “My arm got sore and I didn’t know if I wanted to stick with it, but he told me not to give up.”
Livingston has become a legitimate pitcher in his senior year. He has allowed no earned runs in five innings throwing fastballs slower than 75 mph. But his sidearm delivery gives him the chance to get batters out.
“They’re looking for balls over the top and when it comes off your side, it’s new for them,” Livingston said. “Maybe this is what I’m supposed to do. I’m still kind of in awe I got the chance to play.”
Lopez turned former Chaminade pitcher Chris Gray into a sidearmer. Gray got a scholarship to Loyola Marymount. Lopez learned the delivery from former Chatsworth pitcher Steve Reed, who has been in the major leagues for nine years.
“You have to have the right mentality,” Lopez said. “The image is not being a macho man.”
Livingston is grateful his baseball career has been resurrected.
“I have a lot of confidence now,” he said. “I believe I can do it.”
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Crescenta Valley (2-1) lost to Glendora, 7-2, in the championship game of the Glendora tournament last week. The good news about the Falcons is that their top three starting pitchers--Kris Krise, Jeff Dunn and Brandon Higelin--gave up no runs during a 14-inning stretch.
Sophomore second baseman Aaron McGuinness went seven for 11 and Dunn, a senior right fielder, hit two home runs to earn all-tournament honors.
Crescenta Valley plays unbeaten Monrovia today in a doubleheader beginning at 3:30 p.m. at Stengel Field in Glendale.
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Cleveland (4-1) is off to a fast start behind catcher Andrew Strickland, who’s eight for 18, and pitcher Byron Grubman, who’s 2-0 with a 1.24 earned-run average.
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Rain delayed construction of lights at Birmingham. Wednesday’s Kennedy-El Camino Real game originally scheduled for 6 p.m. at Birmingham has been changed to 3 p.m. at El Camino Real.
The light poles are scheduled to go up Wednesday, with the first night game scheduled Thursday between Birmingham and Carson.
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Chaminade (3-2) is the favorite in the Mission League, which begins play today, but Crespi (3-1) and Alemany (3-2) performed well in tournaments last week.
Alemany faces the difficult task of taking on Chaminade ace Bobby Paschal today in a 3:30 p.m. game at Pierce College.
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Senior Ryan Rycroft of L.A. Baptist is 2-0 with a 0.50 ERA and has 15 strikeouts in 14 innings.
